I would never let a white boy beat me. You can print that. I would never lose to a white person.

I have the philosophy that I'm different. I have the body, the well-being and the experience. Now the teacher gets to show the student that he's worthy of the lesson. Let me show him through experience.

I was told I would be back in 90 days. If I listened to people, I would be back where I came from - the penitentiary.

I always not only want push the envelope in my career but I also have an itch for going against the grain.

Understand that I'm at my best when it comes to proving a point, not only to show that I'm a better fighter and a better athlete at 40½ years old, but I'm at my best when I know I've got to beat the system again.

You think it's hard for me when I go in the ring and fight? That's the least of my problems. I think about the five years that I did in prison. I think about the nine years on parole. Nothing - nothing! - can compare to that struggle. I'm telling you, from being an ex-convict with 30 convictions, a degree nowhere to be found and black? I'm done.

I got knocked down. Anybody could be knocked down, anybody can be knocked out, but it's not what happened, but what happens next.